Three Steps To Assessing Your Mold Problem

If you've recently discovered a mold patch in your home or apartment, you may be wondering what the next step is. If it's a large patch, you'll need to call a mold damage remediator, but before you do so it's best to assess the situation so you can give the remediator specific information on your problem. This not only helps them prepare for the job, but it also helps them give you a more accurate price quote for their services. Here are three steps to assessing your mold problem in a concrete way.

1. Identify the characteristics of the mold

By looking closely at the color, location, and growth patterns of the offending patch, you'll be able to observe some identifying characteristics. It's not always possible to tell without a lab test which exact species of mold you have. However, by describing it carefully, you may be able to help your remediator figure out what type it probably is. Be sure to wear a respirator while examining the mold, and do not touch it. Take notes of the following:

Exact color of the mold

Any color variations in the patch

Location (what it's growing on)

Any noticeable odor

The shape of the patch

2. Measure the patch

It's not necessary to measure the exact size in inches in each direction, but you should try to at least estimate how many square feet of wall are affected. If you have a hard time estimating, you can hold up a yardstick near the area to help you figure it out.

3. Characterize the environment

The placement of the mold is important, but other environmental factors also play a part in the remediation process. For example, if your wall has sustained water damage, then you may wish to call a water damage remediation company rather than a mold remediation company. Water damage professionals are used to dealing with mold, and they can fix the underlying water damage problem as well. Clues from the environment can also help determine how to make the house less hospitable to mold in the future. Check the area for these points:

What type of surface the location has

Whether any water damage symptoms are present

How humid the air is

Whether there is any dampness or standing water nearby

Whether the mold is growing suspiciously on the ceiling in a shape that looks like it ought to be a leak

By checking these points and using your discretion, you may be able to get to the bottom of how the mold started to grow in the first place.

Use these three steps before you call in a professional to help you discover the extent of the damage, the reason the damage occurred, and the type of damage you need remediated.

About Me

When I bought my first home, I was terribly inexperienced when it came to maintaining it. It seemed as if something was always broken. After spending a weekend battling with my oven, I decided that I enough was enough. I started reading everything I could about things related to the home. By the end of my research, I still could not fix my plumbing, but I could look knowledgeable as the plumber explained what was wrong. In an effort to help others avoid the tedious task of reading book after book about plumbing and appliance repairs, I started this blog. Hopefully, this information will save someone from a weekend spent wrestling with their own appliances.